The standing committee of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Thursday passed a resolution directing the commissioner to disallow the use of municipal staff in carrying out surveys, sealing and any punitive action under directions of other government bodies.
While the municipal corporation carries out various forms of punitive action such as issuing challans, sealing notices and attaching properties of citizens for various violations of trade licenses, property tax fillings and building plans among others, the resolution stated that these were time consuming and resource intensive activity. Similar activity was also carried out under directions of area Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM) and various bodies of the Delhi government, but the local body is not obliged to carry out this work under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1957.
As a consequence of such punitive action under directions of other government bodies, the municipal corporation faced the wrath of citizens which made it difficult to carry out its work, the resolution adds. Accordingly, the standing committee directed the commissioner that only punitive action by municipal staff as prescribed in the DMC Act be carried out.
